Nonprofit groups seek donations, volunteers to help the less fortunate

Nonprofit organizations across central Pennsylvania need a helping hand this holiday season. The Patriot-News wants to help you help them. This means that you might buy a few extra cans of food during your next trip to the grocery store, write a check or donate your time. Here’s our annual wish list from groups that serve the less fortunate. Take a moment to review the list to see what you can do to help. Remember, no effort is too big or too small to help our neighbors.

View full sizeHannah Bourdon, 16, left and Erika Heishman, 13, assist Stone Campbell, 13 of Carlisle during the first Gifts that Give event sponsored by the United Way of Carlisle & Cumberland County Student Leadership Council, Kohl's and the Women's Leadership Council. Over 170 homeless and children from very low income households picked out free gifts for their parents to give to them at the holidays.
JOE HERMITT, The Patriot-News/file

The American Cancer Society Hope Lodge, Hershey

Provides free lodging to patients and their families who must travel to the area for cancer care.

Wishes: Any brand laundry detergent "HE" formula for guests to do their laundry, bottled water for guests, and grocery and gas gift cards for guests.

Organization devoted to building healthier lives, free of cardiovascular diseases and stroke.

Wishes: Sales-savvy professionals with solid relationship-building skills are needed to recruit heart and stroke walk teams from local companies for the 2012 event, leader to organize year-round local events such as walking clubs and Fit-Friendly Companies and events for National Start! Walking Day April 4, 2012, leader to organize local Wear Red Day fundraising activities February 3, 2012, and sales-savvy person needed to recruit local companies to engage their employees to fundraise and wear red for Heart Month.

Local non-profit agency that assists homeless women with children in the Harrisburg area to find housing and stability through employment, case management, and support from mentoring groups from local churches.

Wishes: Gifts to assist with rent for families ($40 supports one family for one day), gift cards from Target/Wal-Mart/Kmart/Giant, black and color ink for HP Deskjet F4480

Nonprofit, no kill, all volunteer organization dedicated to providing assistance to any dog in a helpless situation. It is our mission to get involved in as many situations as possible to provide sanctuary and shelter and to ultimately find loving families for as many dogs as we can. We are also very focused on creating strategic partnerships with other rescues, shelters, and similar organizations to share resources as well as to expand public awareness of the overwhelming problem of homeless animals.

Wishes: Volunteers to help care for and exercise dogs and to help with administrative duties, dog food (ProPlan dry dog food or Pedigree canned dog food), money for either a training program or a CD player with six overhead speakers for our kennel.

Supports and maintains a 20-mile recreational trail that surrounds Harrisburg.

Wishes: Volunteer with access to a bucket truck and equipment to remove several trees growing through power lines; a hydrologist to formulate a plan to deal with destructive run-off in the Five Senses Gardens; volunteers to adopt and maintain flower beds in Five Senses Gardens.

Christian Recovery Aftercare Ministry provides prerelease and re-entry services to inmates, ex-offenders and their families so that they experience a successful return to the community and reunification with their families.

Local non-profit, Christian based program with three transitional houses within the Harrisburg area, dedicated to assist individuals coming out of the criminal justice system, rehabilitation, and homelessness.

Theater company with an education outreach touring production that goes on tour to schools and communities all across PA (and beyond!). These productions frequently include a talk-back with the cast and director, in-class workshops, and extended residencies. Due to generous grant funding, some of these schools receive those benefits at no cost.

Wishes: two professional quality dual-deck CD players (ideally portable) and full-size cargo van. Our current van, "Mongo," is a Ford cargo van from 1985, and it is in dire straits.

Wishes: Summer volunteers to work ticket booth and various events; $50,000 sponsor for the Susquehanna River School (teaches children about the history and natural wonders of the Susquehanna River); $10,000 to replace/repair various items lost in the recent flood.

Wishes: Security camera/recording system; monetary funds to purchase a new rescue vehicle to replace 16-year-old vehicle; monetary funds for purchase/construction of a headquarters that was damaged during the September floods.

An organization dedicated to finding responsible and loving homes for retired racing greyhounds.

Wishes: Foster families to provide temporary housing and basic training for greyhounds waiting for their adoptive family; monetary donations to help pay for veterinary costs; gas cards to defray the costs of moving greyhounds from tracks in other states to Harrisburg.

Contact: Carolyn Bickford, 717-561-1020.

Lend A Hand, Camp Hill

A natural disaster response and assistance program.

Wishes: Volunteers to help those in the Harrisburg/Lebanon areas with reconstruction of their homes damaged by recent flooding; monetary donations to purchase tools and supplies.

Transforms lives through three ministries: Personal Care Closet (providing personal and household basics not covered by food stamps), The Parsonage (home-away-from-home for families of patients in Hershey Medical Center) and The Bicycle Ministry.

Wishes: Digital projector; new white, double-size sheets for The Parsonage; volunteers to help in outreach.

Wishes: Sponsorship for printing and mailing its newsletter — six times per year at $200 per issue; upgrade the lighting of exhibits (estimated cost of $2,500); monetary donations to purchase computer software to manage inventory of artifacts (estimated cost of $2,000).

Wishes: Sponsorship for printing and mailing its newsletter — six times per year at $200 per issue; upgrade the lighting of exhibits (estimated cost of $2,500); monetary donations to purchase computer software to manage inventory of artifacts (estimated cost of $2,000).

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